McMillan was obviously best QB at spring game; Orgeron speaking in Bossier City tonight

Apr 22, 2017; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Justin McMillan (12) calls a play at the line during the second quarter of the annual LSU Tigers purple-gold spring game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

BATON ROUGE — Junior Justin McMillan, a two-star prospect by Rivals.com from Cedar Hill, Texas, not ranked by anyone across the board in 2015, made a strong bid to be LSU's next starting quarterback in the spring game on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.

"You saw it tonight under the lights," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. "I mean, Justin played better than the other quarterbacks, which is fact."

McMillan, who has not thrown a pass in a game at LSU, completed 14 of 29 passes for 216 yards with a 33-yard touchdown to wide receiver Drake Davis and rushed eight times for 48 yards.

"He's been here. He's older. He's playing with more confidence right now than the other quarterbacks," Orgeron said. "And I think that showed."

Orgeron will be talking the spring game and next season Monday night on the first leg of his abbreviated spring speaking tour at the Horseshoe Casino. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the program begins at 7 p.m. The only other tour dates will be on Wednesday, May 2, in Houston at the JW Marriott and on Thursday, June 28, in New Orleans at a site to be determined. In the past there were several more tour stops around the state as well as in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

McMillan, who led Cedar Hill High School to Texas state titles in 2013 and '14, scored a touchdown for the White team in the final seconds on a 12-yard scramble to cut the Purple's lead to 28-27. But Orgeron elected not to have a spring game end in a tie and went for two. Then McMillan's final pass to tight end Foster Moreau fell incomplete, and the Purple ran out the final seconds for the 28-27 win in front of about 15,000 at Tiger Stadium.

Orgeron said mobility will be significant in who becomes LSU's starting quarterback for the 2018 season.

Sophomore Myles Brennan, the only current quarterback who threw a pass in a game last season, completed 11 of 23 for 113 yards with no rushing yards. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacory Washington late in the fourth quarter to give the Purple its 28-27 lead after the winning extra point by Connor Culp.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Lowell Narcisse had no significant rushing yards while completing 6 of 13 passes for 205 yards with a 94-yard touchdown to wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who made a one-handed catch at his 11-yard line. Cornerback Greedy Williams fell down on the play, and Jefferson was off. He cut inside past the 50 to avoid a tackler and sprinted the rest of the way.

All three quarterbacks played for both teams.

"I think you've all seen tonight what I've been talking about with all the quarterbacks," Orgeron said. "Sometimes, they're doing well. Sometimes, they're not. I thought Justin McMillan had a good game tonight. I thought he extended plays with his feet."

Jefferson, a sophomore from Destrehan near New Orleans and the younger brother of former Tigers Jordan and Rickey, led all receivers with five catches for 128 yards.

"He's smooth," Orgeron said. "He runs routes well, and he has a knack for getting yards after the catch."

Junior wide receiver Stephen Sullivan caught four passes for 87 yards, and junior transfer Jonathan Giles from Texas Tech caught four passes for 24 yards. Junior wide receiver Derrick Dillon had three receptions for 97 yards. Davis also had three catches for 57 yards. True freshman wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. of Parkway High in Bossier City caught one pass for 21 yards despite nursing an ankle injury from high school throughout spring drills. And he could have had more.

"It looked like he was open a couple of times," Orgeron said. "It looked like if the ball was on the money, he would've had a touchdown. He showed tremendous improvement. I think he's still not healthy. I think that he's going to be a great receiver for us."

Sophomore tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed 14 times for 74 yards with a 2-yard touchdown for the White team to tie it, 21-21, in the fourth quarter.

"We moved the football when Justin and Clyde were back there," Orgeron noted.

True freshman early enrollee tailback Tae Provens gained 64 yards on six carries with a 28-yard touchdown scamper to give the Purple a 21-14 lead in the third quarter.

Senior tailback Nick Brossette added 27 yards on eight carries with a 1-yard touchdown to give the White a 14-0 lead midway in the second quarter. Junior tailback Lanard Fournette gained 18 yards on six carries with a 2-yard touchdown to get the White within, 14-7, in the second quarter.

McMillan's 33-yard touchdown pass to Davis for the Purple team tied it 14-14 before halftime. McMillan completed a 39-yard pass to Sullivan before the touchdown to Davis.

"He keeps on coming up," Orgeron said of McMillan. "The other guys have had better practices. I don't think this was Myles' best practice. I don't think it was Lowell's best practice. We would have a practice like this, and Justin would be the best player. Then we would come back, and one of the other guys would be the best player."

The quarterback competition will pick up again with preseason practices in August. Orgeron does not plan to name a starter until well into August.

"It's been up and down the whole spring," Orgeron said. "But overall, I think Justin just had a good night. The theme for the summer will be execution."

DELPIT SURGERY, INJURY REPORT: Sophomore safety Grant Delpit broke his left collarbone in the spring game Saturday and will have surgery Monday, he said in a tweet.

"I appreciate all of the support and well wishes," Delpit tweeted Sunday. "Surgery tomorrow. I’ll be back soon ready to work."

ORGERON TO SPEAK IN BOSSIER CITY MONDAY: The annual LSU football spring speaking tour has been abbreviated to just three stops from the usual half a dozen to eight or so, and the first one will be Monday night at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City.

Head coach Ed Orgeron will speak about the spring game on Saturday and the upcoming season while other members of his staff will be on hand to visit with fans in what the Tiger Athletic Foundation – the athletic department's fund raising arm – is billing as the "Tiger Football Caravan."

There will be a dinner, a silent auction, LSU football highlight videos and a "chalk talk" with the coaches. TAF President Rick Perry and LSU athletic director Joe Alleva will also be on the caravan.

The only other stops will be in Houston at the JW Marriott Galleria on Wednesday, May 2, and in New Orleans on Thursday, June 28, at a site to be announced.

LSU running back Lanard Fournette scores a touchdown during the team’s spring game.

LSU Tigers quarterback Justin McMillan (12) warms up before the Spring Game at Tiger Stadium.